1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a manufacturing method of a sealed battery, and more particularly, to technology for manufacturing a terminal structure of a sealed battery.
2. Description of Related Art
In a sealed battery, a power generating element of the sealed battery is housed in an outer covering of the sealed battery. Inside the covering, a collector terminal member that passes through the covering and protrudes outside is arranged on both a positive terminal side and a negative terminal side. One end of the collector terminal member is electrically connected to the power generating element inside of the covering. The other end of the collector terminal member is electrically connected to an external terminal member on the outside of the covering. Thus, technology for transferring electric power between the inside and the outside of the battery is known.
A plate-like connecting member is sometimes used to electrically connect the other end of the collector terminal member to the external terminal member on the outside of the covering. Technology that involves connecting the other end of the collector terminal member and the connecting member by crimping the other end of the collector terminal member to an insertion hole formed in the connecting member is known (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-282848 (JP 2010-282848 A), for example).
In JP 2010-282848 A, a lid member that forms the covering is electrically insulating from the collector terminal member by interposing an insulating member between the lid member and the collector terminal member. In some cases, the insulating member is compressed by a protruding portion formed on the lid member, to give the insulating member sealing performance.
FIG. 7 is a view of an F curve showing the relationship between the position of the lid member in the direction of compression, and the compression load applied by the lid member. When there is variation in a dimension such as the size of the protruding portion of the lid member or the thickness of the insulating member, a difference occurs in the F-S curve, as shown by curves A and B. In this case, if compression of the insulating member is stopped based on the size of the compression load, such as load F1 in FIG. 7, variation (width X in FIG. 7) in the position (i.e., the compression dimension) of the lid member will occur, which may result in a difference in sealing performance of the insulating member.